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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25596403">Consequences of Resurrection</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Digigal_transbian/pseuds/Digigal_transbian'>Digigal_transbian</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Steven Universe (Cartoon)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Dreams, Gen, Post-Episode: s06e19 I Am My Monster</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 05:47:52</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,223</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25596403</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Digigal_transbian/pseuds/Digigal_transbian</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Steven's resurrection of Jasper has caught the attention of someone with great power.</p><p>The Grim Reaper is not pleased with Steven's defiance of the Great Cosmic Equalizer and has a few choice words for the hybrid.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>26</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Consequences of Resurrection</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>A cold, empty abyss.</p><p> </p><p>Steven's dreams have always been strange. Between watching the Diamonds ignore Pink left and right, war memories, and the occasional Pineapple Diamond, Steven is no stranger to a bizarre dream.</p><p> </p><p>Peridot however, has little experience with dreams. The green inventor hardly ever sleeps, constantly doing something.</p><p> </p><p>When the two fused an hour ago, it took no time at all for them to conk out on the temple's sofa. Electrum is an exhausting fusion to be for any amount of time. They're stable, but draining.</p><p> </p><p>In mere moments, Steven, Peridot, and Pink Steven enter the dream world. The area around them is an endless void, completely empty of any structure. There is no wind, but the breeze is bone chilling.</p><p> </p><p>Steven tries to create something in the abyss, lucid enough to know that he's in a dream. Nothing happens. He tries again, this time trying to create the Dondai. No matter how hard he tries, nothing works.</p><p> </p><p>"Is something wrong?" Peridot asks, looking at Steven's confused face with concern.</p><p> </p><p>"I can't control anything in here." Steven whispers, hauntedly, "I'm not in control right now, Peridot."</p><p> </p><p>The air in the abyss shifts, becoming thick and foggy. Beastial howling rips through the fog, making it clear to the three of them that they aren't alone. They feel the familiarly uncomfortable sensation of being watched as they look around, trying to find the source of the unseen gaze.</p><p> </p><p>"Steven Diamond Universe!" A gravelly voice calls from the endless black. </p><p> </p><p>Steven and Peridot look to the source of the voice. On the horizon stands a cloaked figure shrouded in an impossible black, harvest scythe in hand. Smoke seems to emanate from the figure's body as they slowly approach, each step radiating a thick cloud of annoyance.</p><p> </p><p>"You have defied the laws of death and undone the natural equalizer!" The figure yells, frustrated aggravation in their tone, "You will not defy me again if you value the lives of your gems!"</p><p> </p><p>"Who are you, one of mom's ex-friends? Because if you are, I swear-"</p><p> </p><p>"I am Death, the harvester of souls, and your mother has also committed the Great Sin, but not to your degree. Her resurrection of the lion only delayed the inevitable, I'll have his soul yet." They say, cutting Steven off, "Your resurrection of Laramie Barringa was tolerable. In time, his soul shall join the others. The resurrection of fauna is also acceptable, they shall all join my domain in time. However!"</p><p> </p><p>They stamp their scythe on the ground, pointing a finger directly at Steven. Peridot and the hybrid look at the hand in mild horror, as the hand is made of clean, human bone. Around them, the foggy abyss becomes an endless graveyard. Tombstones and decaying trees burst from the ground, Victorian lanterns lighting up the soil around them all.</p><p> </p><p>"Your revival of Red Striped Jasper Facet-C4N Cut-4D4 has proven itself unacceptable!" Death exclaims, "The death of a gem belongs as an action unavoidable, permanent in every definition! Gems are a species whose death shall be undoable!"</p><p> </p><p>"What?!" Steven feels a deep seeded indignation, all he's ever wanted to do was help others. It's not his fault he has healing powers.</p><p> </p><p>"My job will be done, Universe." Death says, voice sounding thick with authority, a boney finger pointing into Steven's mortal soul, "And it shall be done by either myself, or by you if you keep resurrecting the dead and undoing the True Equalizer!"</p><p> </p><p>"But it was only Jasper!" Peridot tries to argue for Steven, earning her a thankful look from the hybrid.</p><p> </p><p>"That is how it starts!" The Reaper of Souls booms through the manifested graveyard, "You revive one soul that meets an end you deem unfitting, then it grows. Next you revive those you want to never die, someone you care about, your dear Gregory Universe, for example. Then you keep your gems alive, then it grows to where death is merely an inconvenience for those that know of you."</p><p> </p><p>Steven feels an abject terror grip at his mortal soul. The thought of his dad dying stabs at his heart, for all the man's faults, the boy still cares about him. Peridot stands frozen in place, watching Death while unable to will her body to move even the slightest degree.</p><p> </p><p>"I am inevitable, Universe. I shall have your soul in time." The Grim Reaper declares in a serious tone only used on particularly unruly souls, "Ash will be ash and dust will be dust. You can not evade me forever. Run if you can and hide if you must, but your acts will not cease my endeavour."</p><p> </p><p>A throne appears behind Death at the tamp of the scythe. The otherworldly being crosses the distance, each stride so smooth that it looks like he's floating. Death takes his seat upon the inky black throne as his gaze returns to the human and the gems.</p><p> </p><p>"I shall have the souls of even the Diamonds when their times come, and you will not undo them." Invoked the Reaper with grave finality, "The three of your souls shall belong to me on their own days, such is the order of nature."</p><p> </p><p>"When?" Steven cautiously inquires.</p><p> </p><p>"Sooner than you think, but long enough to live a good life." Death says, their voice calmer than it was.</p><p> </p><p>The answer doesn't fill Steven with a great degree of comfort, but he figures that it's the best answer he'll be getting.</p><p> </p><p>"The same applies to Pink Diamond." The Grim Reaper states, gesturing slowly to Pink Steven.</p><p> </p><p>"She's gone." The pink gem says, no emotion in his voice.</p><p> </p><p>"You are a Diamond."</p><p> </p><p>"I am Steven." Pink Steven intones flatly, eyes squinting in minute irritation.</p><p> </p><p>"Your human component is Steven, but you are a Pink Diamond, his Pink Diamond. You may outlive him, but your soul shall end in my hands with the rest of your kind."</p><p> </p><p>"What do you want?" Steven asks tiredly, just wanting to help others.</p><p> </p><p>"I want you to stop using your powers on gems that shatter." Death requests, but Steven can tell that the request is more of an order, "That is all. Your healing powers may heal those gems that are cracked, but if a gem is shattered and cold, leave them as such. Yellow Diamond can repair a gem with their shards if they have any life still in them, but you will not renew their lives."</p><p> </p><p>"So, the Cluster experiments are alright?" Peridot asks for Steven, Pink Steven giving a silently questioning look to the Reaper as well.</p><p> </p><p>"The Cluster is an abomination of gemetic sciences, an affront to the very nature of life and death itself." The Grim Reaper says with disgust, "Those shards are not dead, yet dreaming. The creation of the Diamond's grief is eldritch, undying. If you so desire, you may heal the gems that comprise the Clustered Geode."</p><p> </p><p>"Alright, I will." Steven agrees, his voice low in solemn acceptance.</p><p> </p><p>"That which is dead must eternal lie," Death states simply, "Farewell, mortals. I shall see you again yet, make your time worth it."</p><p> </p><p>Electrum jolts awake and unfuses immediately after the Reaper bids them farewell, a cold sweat forming on both Steven and Peridot's bodies.</p><p> </p><p>"Steven?" The thoroughly terrified Peridot asks.</p><p> </p><p>"Yeah?" Steven replies, eyes wide in horror.</p><p> </p><p>"I'm never sleeping again." The green gem shudders.</p><p> </p><p>"Agreed."</p>
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